Arguments of the potential impacts of various elements of electronic media in society have room for debate, Steven Johnson and Steven Pinker would agree that these impacts are advantageous to society’s well-being and growth. According to Johnson, the participatory nature of the web is healthier than the passive engagement of similar forms of media before it. While some would say that while the web is participatory, it’s skimmer-friendly nature allows for it to be utilized by some to consume the information in a less comprehensive manner causing society to spend less time being intellectually involved. Pinker would refute this notion by saying, there is an increasing amount of information to engage in, and humans have the same amount of time …show more content…
The three aspects of the internet that he claims are fundamental to support this notion are “[the internet’s]…virtue of being participatory, by forcing users to learn new interfaces, and by creating new channels for social interaction.” (page 118) Johnson compares the web to television several decades ago. He argues that less benefit comes from passively watching people’s lives unfold like in the most popular TV shows than the benefit that comes from what has replaced that activity, actively producing our own narrative. Johnson then elaborates on the benefits of the web’s demand for an active user by pointing out that we can choose to access information that was previously not as readily available. In regards to the net’s encouragement to explore many new and evolving interfaces, Johnson argues that the number of complex interfaces that we learn to navigate in our use of the internet is useful in our intellectual growth. While he acknowledges the argument that the internet will eliminate some amount of the traditional face to face social interaction, he claims that there is positivity to come from this. Because of the web, communication can happen in ways that it never has before. More people can reciprocally communicate with many people at once, …show more content…
Arguments of those critics support the claim that: new forms of electronic media are changing our brains to think in a less thorough and progressive manner. This is to say things like PowerPoint, the new standard of edited videos and Twitter are causing our ways of thinking to shift to a shallower way of thinking. Pinker contends that the very people that are making exponentially more new, insightful, and progressive discoveries regularly do so using these new forms of media. This is supported by Pinker’s claim that while neural plasticity allows for our brains to be changed by the world around us, it does not cause our brains to be limited in their consumption and application of information by adopting the same shallow, bulleted format presented in electronic
The internet has changed the way we live our daily lives. It changed the way we socialize and has impacted the way we communicate. In the New York Times article, “Addicted to Distractions” by Tony Schwartz, it discusses how the author realized that his addiction to the internet prevented him from creating personal goals that will benefit him. For example, our author found himself one evening reading the same paragraph repetitively before concluding that he just can’t simply focus on the content of the book. This horrified the author because he once found pleasure in reading books, and now instead of reading them he finds himself spending countless hours on the internet.
Most people are arguing whether the internet is harmful to human’s life or not. The most representative article of this controversy topic was Nicholas Carr - < Is Google Making Us Stupid?> in 2008. In this article, Carr stated that the internet has begun to change our ways in many aspects. For example, the Internet has begun
“’I’m addicted to the Internet, I admit it.’ He wrote. ‘It has transformed the way I work as a senator, communicate with my children, and keep tabs on news and cultural developments.’” He was one of the many Americans that saw the potential in the internet. It can not only help adults in their daily activities, but it can also help educate children and young adults in modern problems that they will face.
In conclusion, although many people believe new forms of electronic media are harmful to people’s intelligence, Steven Pinker thinks otherwise. He successfully proves this by bringing up many counterarguments and disproving them as well as having very trustworthy credentials. That being said, he also thinks it is important to practice self control to avoid becoming too distracted with these new forms of media and
Carr says “…I can feel it, too” (57). Then, he mentioned the research from different credited writers who feel the same he does about the impact of the web to appeal the audience in and persuade them that the internet is causing mainly problems by saying “I am not the only one” (Carr 58). He also clearly states the idea that users are
The article “Mind Over Mass Media”, written by Professor Steven Pinker, describes the impact of media on human lives and brains. Pinker illustrates the benefits people gain from using the worlds quickly increasing technology and media. Pinker suggests that today’s technology such as, PowerPoint, Google, and other forms of social media can actually enhance and bring more intelligence to the mind, instead of being detrimental. Critics believe that the many different forms of media can lower intelligence. However, Pinker declares that scientists are using all of this technology everyone else is using, and are still discovering new things.
59% of people aged 18 to 29 say the internet is shaping who they are. “The Veldt” and “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury are two dystopian novels where technology has become a major factor in their life, destroying them by the day. “The veldt” is based in the future, where a family is given all the modern benefits of technology, claiming to make their lives easier and more efficient. For example, the kitchen makes dinner for all the family, allowing them to engage in other fun activities. However, with every good thing, comes bad.
The modernization of the web can have positive and negative consequences on the world. It is sure in light of the fact that it gives everyone the power to access any information, that they need in second. In any case, it is contrary since individuals start to get limited focus and just focus on the things they need to see as opposed to seeing the full picture. To begin with, The Loneliness of the Interconnected is an essay on how the internet
Nicholas Carr made quite a few of points in his book The Shallows. Car made a point in his book, the internet is making us more smarter. (Carr; 40) “ One click on a link led to a dozen or a hundred more” “ online articles are seen faster than print editions” “ Books are great, but the net is faster and won’t waste paper” Our IQ since the internet became the most used source, got higher. The internet has affected us as well. When we face a question that we have no clue about we don 't go to our
Nicholas Carr, What the Internet is doing to Our Brains The Shallows (2010) asserts that, “The price we pay to assume technology’s power is alienation.” He supports this assertion by saying, “They both ultimately achieve their mental and behavioral effects by shaping the synaptic organization of the brain.” Also by, “ We long to keep it activated.” The writer concludes in order for people to improve their thoughts, they will have to cope with the new technology and how they think. Carr believes that technology is taking over how people interact with each other.
Clay Shirky, the author of “Does the internet make you smarter?” wrote about how ignorance has poisoned the internet with incorrect information. Not only does technology has its flaws, but so do books and novels dating back to the Protestant Reformation. Even though many people are against the internet Shirky reassures that if used correctly and appropriately, then it can become a very useful tool that can “tap our cognitive surplus”. The increased collaboration of technology is important to society for the reason that the internet is full of valuable knowledge that can be claimed very quickly and easily. Increased collaboration is absolutely a benefit.
The Influence of Technology In the essay, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” Nicholas Carr argues that utilization of the internet has an adverse effect on our way of thinking and functioning in everyday life. Whether it be reading a newspaper, or scrolling through Facebook, internet media has forever stamped its name in our existence. Carr explains to us that the internet is a tool used every single day in today’s society, but also makes most of us complacent with the ease of having the world at our fingertips.
The author, Nicholas Carr (2010), in “Does the Internet Make You Dumber?” argues that the internet, which is usually looked upon as the most abundant source of information, is actually what is leading people to become “superficial thinkers.” People who are always on the internet tend to not be very productive or creative. Even with the advantages using
Internet is developing day to day. Internet and networks are binding us in new ways. As Rheingold argues, “There is a huge social issue at work in digital literacy, one that goes beyond personal authority. Every intercourse creates new association in a child’s brain, every email, tweet, search, or post is contributing and nourishing connections in our global brain, changing the shape of the Internet that we billions of people are progressing together. Young child brain or an internet brain both are always trying to make connections.
Ancient forms of human communication include cave drawings, smoke signals, symbols, and carrier pigeons. During the late 1800’s, communication became more advanced with the invention of the typewriter and the telephone. Roughly one hundred years later, a military project resulted in what we know today as the internet. With a little innovation, the internet made social interactions between people easier than ever, although, the convenience may come at a cost. Some theories suggest that heavy reliance on social media for human interaction will weaken communication skills, hinder meaningful social interactions, and negatively impact personal relationships.